Ala Moana Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a good look at what's coming our way over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a mixed bag. The surf is there, but conditions are rough. We've got a solid amount of energy from Sunday morning, with the combined swell energy hitting a whopping 1932 (moderate to strong) and swell at 7ft from the ENE, but a fresh breeze from 19 mph out of the ENE is making things messy. It's not really clean enough to get excited about. That pattern of decent size but gnarly wind sticks around through Monday and Tuesday, with energy ramping up even higher, peaking around 3945 on Monday afternoon, but the wind is cross-on or onshore, just chopping it all up. There's a brief window Wednesday morning with a light breeze, but the swell has dropped to 3ft from the SSW and it's a cross-on wind, so it's not the standout we're looking for.

Now, the real talk: if you're looking for the best bet in this whole run, you have to set your sights on Thursday, the 17th of September at Ala Moana Bowls. That morning, the swell kicks back up to 8ft from the E, and the energy is strong at 1100. But the key here is the wind. We've got a steady cross-off breeze from the ENE at 16 mph, keeping the wave faces clean and offering up some proper shape. That's a good, solid wave for advanced surfers on that reef. It's a big swell at 8ft, so this is definitely for experienced crew only. The direction is out of the east, which is a little off the optimum for this spot, but with that cross-off wind and that much energy, it's still going to be the pick of the litter. Crowds are often an issue at Bowls, so expect company.

That same pulse sticks around into Friday the 18th, with 7ft from the E in the morning, again with cross-off winds, but the period is short at 7 seconds, so it'll be a bit less powerful and more crumbly than Thursday. Still, it's a decent option.

For the rest of the second week, things settle down. There's a lot of small, clean surf from the SSW and SW with long periods, but the combined energy is weak, dropping to just 85 on Sunday the 13th. The water temperature is sitting at a very average 81°F for the time of year, so no surprises there. That long-period groundswell we see mid-week (like the 2ft at 22 seconds on the 14th) is best for a point or reef, not a spot like Bowls, but with it being that small, it's barely on the radar anyway.

So, to sum it up: the early part is wind-affected and messy. The middle of the second week has a nice spike of east swell with good wind, and that's your window. Don't hold your breath for the rest.

Rusty.

Read more